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Wednesday, September 26, 2007

As fans and alumni become aware of the academic fraud reported by FSU to the NCAA, it should be noted that the NCAA was not investigating FSU. FSU investigated and self-reported the violation. How much this will help in the future toward penalties to be meted out by the NCAA is anyone's guess.

The time lines that led to the letter that was sent by FSU to the NCAA on Tuesday was essentially this:

1. Wetherell ordered the internal investigation in March when his office was informed that a tutor hired by the athletic department directed a student-athlete to complete an online quiz for another student-athlete and provided the answers for that quiz.

2. Within two working days of those allegations surfacing, the employee was placed on administrative leave by the university. The employee resigned in July.

3. The investigation into that employee led to the discovery that a tutor provided improper academic assistance to 23 student-athletes by providing answers or directing them to answers for on-line quizzes. "Approximately 130" student-athletes and "numerous" staff employees were interviewed as part of the investigation.

4. Wetherell said that once the final self-report is sent to the NCAA he expects the NCAA to conduct its own investigation into the matter. A more complete self-report, including university recommendations for disciplinary action, will be sent following further review by a committee that includes Provost Larry Abele as well as The Compliance Group - a consulting firm headed by Chuck Smrt, a member of the NCAA enforcement staff for 17 years before establishing the firm in 1999.